Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-03-18

whose grammar was as bad as his
morals.
The woman who had called herself
simple Nancy was waiting for him, her
face distorted with a giggle.
Come" she said, come with me.
Ye shall be my boy. 1 he'd little boy
like you once"
Disgusting rs this poor creature was,
Amos found that she was beam of
sunshine in that place of horror. His
infantile mind could distinguish in her
less selfshneSS than was in many
others, Her mind, dwarfed and clouded
as it was, had yet some faint CLEANS of
humanity. and he accepted her proftered
friendship. As he hobbled along on
his crutches, at her side, he asked:
"ls sister herep"
Yes, yes; I'm your sister," the
woman answered, with a giggle. I'm
your sister and mother both"
But my sister Helen, is she here?'
The woman seemed puzzled, She
reflected in her Supplied way, and then,
with giggle which seemed to decide
the matter, said:
'Oh, yes-yes, yes, l am your sister
Helen"
When the table was reached there
was nothing on it he could cat. He
had watched his fathers pigs eat swill
far more wholesome and palatable than
the mess before him. There were
few broken loaves of dark corn-bread,
cooked hard, some boiled pork and
leaves of weeds which they called
greens"
The helpless creatures grabbed with
their hands, ignoring the few rusty
knives, forks and spoons they had. A
piece of corn-bread which had fallen to
the ground was picked up and given to
the child, but he was really i'll, and
could not eat. His face was flushed
with fever and the pain in his side and
back continued to increase.
My child is sick, my child is Sick"
said simple Nancy, taking the boy in
| her skinny arms. I'm take him to
bed" Giggling, she bore the little suf-
ferer to her miserable, dirty cot, and
laid him upon it.
Now you will be well soon"
where is sister Helen? Oh, sister,
why don't You Gomez" cried the sick
boy.
Il am Helen-I am here" said the
idiotic woman, striving to console the
| little sufferer.
He fell into q feverish sleep and
awokc at midnight to find all darkness
and silence, save the snoring of the
idiot on the floor, having given up her
bed to him. His fever was raging
high, and he burned with thirst.
Helen, | want drink! Oh, sister,
sister, why don't you Gomez"
CHAPTER XVIII
| PUBLIC SENTIMENT
| There exists a peculiar abstract nom
entity called public sentiment We hard
| ly know how to define it. Itseems to be the
general running Of minds in one direc
| ton. Usually there are one or two per-
sons in every community, neighbor-
| hood or society who are local magnets,
and draw about them a class of inferior
persons who follow their thoughts, and
are said to be molders of public senti-
ment. If they are right, public senti-
ment is right, if wrong, public senti-
ment is wrong. The great molder of
public sentiment in the Sandy Fork
neighborhood was Judge Arnold. He
was authority on all questions, either
social or political, and when he took a
stand the other people, or majority
at least, were sure to be with him. The
very fact that the Judge had filed COM
plant against Helen Lakeman, eharg-
ing her with grand larceny, was
enough to convince nearly every per
son in the Sandy Fork neighborhood
that she was guilty.
She's poor gill," said Mr.. Taylor,
when discussing the matter with his
family, "but then she has fallen. 1t is
not the first girl who has fallen. The
temptation was great and she was weak.
The Judge was. perhaps, little too
severe on her."
Il don't pity her much" said0Mrs.
Taylor ''she was always little stuck
up thought, and it may be this will
lower her a notch or two"
Helen's pretty face had caused many
to envy her. The prevailing opinion
was that she was guilty. Not voice,
save Clarence Stuart's and her attor-
ney's, was raised in her defense. Clar-
ence was loud in his protestations of
her innocence. He tried in every way
he could to get his brothers address, so
that he might write to him, but his
father was careful that he should not
have it.
Clarence was blowing In the field one
day when VIII Taylor, son of Mr.. John
Taylor, the farmer whose farm joined
Mr.. Arnold's, passed down the lane.
VIII was one of those indolent fellows,
who enjoyed sitting on the fence and
talking on any subject better than
work.
well, Garry, they've got that gal in
jail yet," said VIII, when he had made
Clarence pull up in the fence corner,
and stop his team. 1t was only day
or two after the visit of the young
farmer and his sister to Helen, and the
youth was in no amiable mood.
"It's all blamed lie," said Clar-
ence.
VIII Taylor grinned. VIII was a
red-headed, freckle-faced youth, Of
about Clarence's own age, and Clar-
ence was ready to whip him for two
cents" When VIII grinned he was a
most hideous person to behold. His
teeth were large, and face sharp.
Eye can't buck agin' public senti-
ment, Clarry," said Will Public
sentiment is agin' her, and she's sure
TO be convicted"
II don't care cent for public sent-
ment, Win; she's innocent.
Again VIII grinned txiumphantly.
People are jist ike sheep" said
Clarence. There's always a bell
wetAer that all the rest folle-. II you
want them to 60 through a gateway.